Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Another week, another made from Pinterest post - I don't know how I am going to come up with a different beginning for every week -it's still January and I'm already having trouble with that part.

I posted a random picture this morning on Instagram of my button wreath - I'm just new on Instagram in the past few weeks - follow me, I'll follow you back - my user name is mackaypj. Back to the wreath - this isn't something I've made in the past week, I've actually made a few and given them as gifts but I do have these two left for me. I have tons and tons of vintage buttons - just another phase of collecting..... As always, click on the picture for a better view...

Perfect for Valentine's Day!

You need lots of buttons -

I am not a real crafty person, I try to be, but I'm really not, that's why I don't know the proper name for this wreath form. I found this one works best, they're expensive, but cutting it in half at least gets you two wreaths. I take somenice ribbon and wrap it all the wreath, glue it at the end - then, you're ready to start gluing the buttons on. I like to make them nice and full, so buttons on top of buttons.

I tried different types of glue but this one seems to work best for this project, I bought it at Walmart. Here is the original site that I pinned from - she used a template, I think my method works just as well.

I always have a surplus of the dark buttons, the dark ones are my favorites. I've made all white ones for gifts, they're pretty too - which one do you like best - the red buttons or the dark ones?

It's time to link up with Sue at Rednesday - I just know there's going to be all kinds of Valentine beauty over there. I am also linking up with a new to me blog hop -Adorned from Above

Sunday, January 27, 2013

My grandmother, Louise was a great cook - I was speaking with her brother just yesterday, when I told him that I was making these cookies, he started reminiscing about her molasses cookies - I can still taste them too - thick and oh, so good. This is where all the baking started - isn't that a great old fridge??

The "pantry" above was a new addition to the house, that same fridge used to be out in the kitchen area. It's not the greatest picture but she is wearing an apron - maybe she had whipped something up that day!

Before Christmas I found this little Robin Hood Flour cookbook while out thrifting - it's only 28 pages but it's chock full of great cookies and squares..

Page 4 - Raspberry Swirl Coconut Cookies - these were the ones that she made and I just loved them. I used to call them Nazareth cookies, why, I don't know... I looked through her recipe box and her recipe "scribbler" not there - maybe she had this book herself.

So, I made the recipe from the book - they are just like I remember them - the very same!!! And, they taste so fresh, because I used my raspberry jam that I made this summer. Click on the recipe if you're interested in making them. There is one instruction that is funny - pour flour into dry measuring cup. Level off and pour onto waxed paper. Add soda and salt, stir well. What is that? Stirring on a piece of waxed paper - I have quite enough bowls - I don't need a big mess like that all over the counter, I don't recall ever reading that in a recipe before.

The finished product - on my Pyrex Pink Leaves Plate.

They're ready for anytime snacking in the Pyrex Cookie Jar! This is a great recipe - let me know if you try it...

Thursday, January 24, 2013

I'm keeping up with my "Made from Pinterest" project pretty well, actually, I had a few choices this week - some of these recipes work out, some don't - like the crockpot casserole I made yesterday - not so good - I won't be sharing!!! But, this recipe, I don't mind sharing.... Give them a try... Today I'm linking up with Jann's nice link up party - Share Your Cup Thursday - there's lots of interesting posts to check out every week.. The Busy Bee's are hosting their very first link up party and I'm going to take part - here's the place to check out their Thursday get together.

This recipe for Blueberry Maple Muffins comes from the blog - Addicted to Recipes- it's a new pin for me but looks like the recipe has been out there for a while. They're really quite nice, the only thing is that we didn't think there was a very strong taste of maple syrup- really, you can hardly taste it at all. But, they still have a really nice flavor - the blueberries taste so good and the struesel topping really adds to it. I used frozen blueberries and didn't use any nuts on the topping. I've repinned these on my Made from Pinterest board - anything good that I know I'll make again - goes there.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Do you buy discounted food in the grocery store? Do you take stock of the expiry or best before dates? We really should, food is expensive enough, there's nothing worse than getting home and seeing a date on your food that has already passed by. I have bought clearance food, but only meat and that is only if it expires that day or the next and I'm going to use it right away.

Sunday we were in the city, I ran into the grocery store to pick up another package of egg rolls wrappers, we had made them on Saturday and had mix left, so we wanted to make a few more. Homemade egg rolls are a treat and so good - take a look here. The grocery store had about ten packages, all with a $2 clearance sticker right across the middle, I tried to peel it off but it was not coming off. I bought them, because there was nothing else and I figured the date was for that day, I paid 99 cents for them and left the store. We were driving along, peeled off the sticker - January 10 was marked, Sunday was the 20th - now, they just should not be selling anything that far past the date. We had already gone down the road, I ended up going to two more stores before I found any more egg roll wrappers - thankfully, they were all close together.

I got home and typed up my complaint to the grocery store customer service, yesterday I got a phone call, with many apologies - and an offer of this - it arrived in the mail today..

A $25 gift card to Metro! I think that is very generous compensation ... This is going to be saved until lobsters come on special next time...

This morning I was getting milk at the convenience store - the first jug I took out - the date was January 20 - that is three days ago - I told the cashier, she wondered how that could be.... I wonder too...... Watch those best before dates....

Monday, January 21, 2013

We first had home made egg rolls at my sister in law's house a few years ago, I've had the recipe for probably just as many years, but we never made them. We got a craving for them before Christmas and finally tried them - oh, my, they are just so good. Not a meal you would have on a regular basis, every few months will be ok - we made them again this weekend - just as good as the first time.

Egg Rolls

1 small cabbage (chopped 2-3 cups)

1 medium onion

1 can bamboo shoots ( 8 oz- 227 ml)

2 cups bean sprouts

3 regular pork chops

Salt & Pepper ( 1 tsp of each)

Chinese Five Spice Powder - 1/4 tsp or less (Don't overload on this)

Garlic clove, peanut oil

1 pkg. egg roll wrappers

Chop up cabbage, onion, bamboo shoots - set aside

Put pork chops through processor, small pieces at a time. Cut until very smooth - set aside - I think I just might use prepackaged ground pork next time.

Cut 1 garlic clove up finely.

Put your wok on high heat, pour in about 2 tbsp. peanut oil, add chopped garlic (about (1/2 tbsp). Watch it carefully, as it will burn quickly. Add meat - keep stirring it around and chopping at it. It should look like oatmeal - white/grey when done.

Sprinkle salt, pepper and 5 spice over top and stir well. Leave on high and keep stirring around for about 3 minutes. Turn off.

Lay out a wrapper and start filling. Make sure that the wrapper isn't split or cracked anywhere, if it is, it will spit and go crazy when it hits the hot fat..

Don't make them up ahead of time. Store your stuffing and wrappers separately, if you make some up and leave them sitting, the wrappers will go like chewed up wet gum! And they will be stuck to whatever they are sitting on.

In case there are no directions on your wrapper package - lay wrapper flat, put egg white around all four sides. Place small amount of mixture in middle. Fold sides toward middle(not to meet) and press down to stick to egg white. Put more egg white on these folded sides and start rolling up from bottom to meet top. Press firmly to stick all seams shut. Add more egg if needed.

We did some mini ones as well, when we have these, it's just an egg roll meal for us - nothing else, except a glass of wine!!!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

A few years ago before I was really interested in vintage children's books, I came upon this one that instantly took me back to my childhood.. I had so many books, I took it upon myself one day to give them all away to some children that I was babysitting - why did Mom let me do that?? I sure wish I had kept them.

Four Little Puppies

A Real Live Animal Book

Don't you love their names - Wags, Tags, Rags and Obidiah?? They lived with their Aunt Oscar and Aunt Abbie -

The book has the sweetest pictures.

I was reading a bit about the Rand McNally Elf Books - the Elf Books were made differently from Golden Books - the front and back covers are one piece and glued to the cover cardboard, the pages are stitched together and then glued to the cover by the first and last pages - this is why the covers did not hold up as well as Little Golden Books - take a look at them, there really is a difference. So, that is why Elf Books are often more tattered on the covers.

There is a a Wonder Book that I sure would like to have - The Costume Party - loved that one too. Do you remember any books that you wished you still had?

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Here's the way the 1975 kitchen looked - some of us remember, some of us are trying to recreate the 70's through our thrift purchases, whatever, it's fun to look back - all these pictures are from my Eaton's Fall and Winter Catalogue, 1975 - Eaton's was a grand old Canadian department store, sadly, it's no more... I'm linking with Rednesday and Share Your Cup Thursday today. As always, click on a picture for a closer look...

All you had to do was order your warm birch veneer cupboards from the catalogue

I didn't know anybody that had a smooth top stove back then, I didn't even know they made them. I think this would have been a very high class item - it was twice the price of a regular stove. What fun to have a red stove!!

Our first dishwasher was "Coppertone"

Order your refrigerator in white, avocado or harvest gold

No 70's kitchen would be complete without a nice cafe set!

I always wished Mom and Dad would buy a swivel set, I wanted to spin around, we just had one like the upper right.

Vinyl tablecloths in wonderful colors and patterns

You could order this set of dishes for $6 a month

$49.95 for a 40 piece chip and crack resistant English dinnerware set

Blue, amber or green - I think we had some glassware in the green

Cutlery really hasn't changed much...

How about some Spice o' Life or Butterfly Gold ?

Mom had a brown set with mushrooms - she used those for years.....

Look at that apple cannister set..

Blenders were big and bulky..

I just bought my first toaster oven the other day!

If you were busy in the kitchen in 1975, you might have been dancing around the kitchen to Lady Marmalade - it's the only hit song from that year that I could find that was kitchen related. I can honestly say my Mother was not listening to Lady Marmalade!!!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Week 3 on my Pinterest project - I pinned this myself but I've made it numerous times - it's a simple pancake recipe that I found on All Recipes - Old Fashioned Pancakes. We always loved pancakes, our kids loved them and they still do - but, we always made them out of a box, we have purchased a lot of Aunt Jemima mix over the years - but, no more of that. I think if you try them, you won't go back to the box mix either! I used a bit less salt, added blueberries that I picked this past summer and served with Real Canadian Maple Syrup - so good...

There was just enough batter left for today - one pancake was just right.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Even the Vera scarves have become very scarce at the thrifts, when I first started collecting these sweet scarves, it seems I would find one or two everytime I looked, but not anymore, right now, they're harder to find than ever....

But, I do have a few new ones to share....

Found this colorful one before Christmas

This is my first solid Vera - I must have spotted the tag, because , really, how would you know it was a Vera?

Six Balloons sent me this beautiful scarf before Christmas - it's such a pretty design and a ladybug, no less.. Thanks....

My very good friend, Carol, my pen pal since the 70's, thought this seashell one appropriate for me - I think it is!! She's a collector too, she was awfully nice to give this one up!

How smart did I feel strolling around the other day with this Vera bag - Carol sent me this at Christmas - it came from the Metropolitan Museum of Art - I love it!! Thank you!!!

Friday, January 11, 2013

The title says it all - pickins' are slim! I had an overnight visit with Carla this week, I made the rounds at the three shops there, stopped in at my regular spots on the way home - guess I'm lucky I found anything at all.....

This was in really bad shape, I thought I could fix it up, but there's no fixing that chip on the cornerwhich I didn't even see that when I picked it up - but it was a pink flamingo oblong baker, #232, Made in Canada, I felt I had to buy it. I have a lime green one that is perfect, this is far from perfect - it was $2

I scrubbed it and scrubbed it - it's better than it was, but it's not real pretty!!!

Lambs and bunnies and blooms...

I don't usually buy things like this but I'm trying to fill up a corner shelf and this is pretty darn cute - it was $1

I am not playing the piano, the organ or the guitar, I just bought it for display

I think I have a Golden Book sickness, really, I have no business buying these ....

I have never seen an Eloise Wilkin soft cover Golden Shape book, but I had to buy this one, even though some of the pages are missing...

This illustration has to be the sweetest one in the book

Good night, Baby..

Remember I found this hat last week for 50 cents, I took it to Carla, she claimed it, she'll be wearing it....